The Key to Preventing Mold and Mildew Growth

It’s never fun to discover mold growing in a basement or attic. Not only is it an eyesore, but it can also be quite dangerous. As with most issues, the best way to deal with mold or mildew is to prevent the problem before it begins.

What Is Mold?
Mold is a natural and necessary part of the life cycle. It helps break down organic material, and certain types of mold can actually kill harmful bacteria—for example, the antibiotic penicillin’s primary component is mold.

So, mold in and of itself is not the culprit, but it becomes a problem when it starts to promote germ growth that can stimulate allergies and negatively impact your respiratory system. Mold spreads via airborne microscopic spores that begin growing in moist locations. This can be somewhere as obvious as a pool or as subtle as in-between the walls of your home where there happens to be too much condensation. 

How to Prevent Mold 
The key to preventing mold is as simple as keeping your house dry. Moisture is the number one—and sometimes only—factor needed for mold to begin growing. While it is impossible to eliminate all the mold spores in the air, there are many ways to prevent mold growth and ensure you live in a mold-free home.

• Check Your Pipes. Mold can be prevented by checking any pipes for leaks so that dripping water does not provide an environment for mold spores to grow.  

• Check Your Filter. Make sure the air filter for your home’s heating and cooling system is in good shape, and replace it if necessary. A good way to cut down on mold growth is by removing the spores that may be circulating through your home’s ventilation ducts. 

• Use a Dehumidifier. If airborne moisture is a problem, or if you live in a humid region, invest in a dehumidifier, which pulls moisture from the air. Many hardware stores carry inexpensive equipment that can be used to monitor the humidity in the air. Ideally, you should keep the relative humidity in your home below 60% to prevent mold growth. Using the air conditioning on muggy summer days will also prevent humidity from settling in your home. 

• Assess Your Land. Check the ground around your home to make sure it slopes away from the foundation and not toward it. This alone will keep water from collecting around the base of your house and creating locations both inside and outside the building where mold can grow. 

• Promote Ventilation. Humid air and steam from hot water should be vented to the outdoors. Turn on the bathroom fan while showering and run the kitchen fan during cooking. If these rooms don’t have fans installed, open a window to help prevent humidity in your home.